29/05/2009 Closing the gap community awards
To mark Reconciliation Week 2009, Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin today launched new awards to recognise Australians who contribute to closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in their own communities.
29/05/2009 Full steam ahead for seniors' transport concessions
An additional 800,000 eligible seniors will have access to cheaper rail fares from 31 May 2009 following a concession agreement reached between the Australian Government and Great Southern Rail.
28/05/2009 Pollution reduction support for Australian households
Low and middle income families will be assisted in moving to a low pollution future as a result of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Amendment (Household Assistance) Bill 2009, tabled in Parliament today.
27/05/2009 Office of Coordinator-General for Remote Indigenous Services
The Australian Government today introduced legislation to create the statutory office of Coordinator General for Remote Indigenous Services. The Coordinator-General will drive the implementation of major reforms in housing.
26/05/2009 National Healing Foundation consultations start on National Sorry Day
Today, schools and community groups across Australia are holding ceremonies and morning teas to mark the 12th anniversary of National Sorry Day. This coincides with the start of consultations on the development of a National Healing Foundation.
25/05/2009 Life expectancy for Indigenous Australians 2005-07
Today's life expectancy estimates released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) demonstrate why comprehensive action continues to be needed to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
25/05/2009 Help for Flood-Affected People In South-East Queensland And Northern NSW
The Australian Government today announced additional assistance to flood-affected residents of South-East Queensland, the North Coast and the Northern Rivers regions of New South Wales.
24/05/2009 Alice Springs town camps
Today I am announcing that the Australian Government is taking the first step towards compulsory acquisition of the Alice Springs town camps.
23/05/2009 First Stimulus House delivered in NSW
Premier Nathan Rees and Federal Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek today announced that the first home in the country built as part of the Federal Government's Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan is in NSW.
21/05/2009 Towards a sustainable development phase: Discussion paper on Future Directions for the NTER
The Australian Government is today releasing a discussion paper which will form the basis for intensive consultation with Indigenous Northern Territory (NT) communities on designing a compulsory income management policy
21/05/2009 SIHIP works underway in NT
Refurbishments under the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (SIHIP) have started on the Tiwi Islands, Groote Eylandt and in Tennant Creek, with construction of new houses expected to start in coming months.
21/05/2009 Australian and NT Governments' response to NTER Review
The Australian and Northern Territory Governments today released a joint response to the recommendations of the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) Review Board.
20/05/2009 NT Government's framework for reform in remote areas
The Northern Territory Government's policy document on remote NT regions is another important step forward in tackling Indigenous disadvantage through the effective delivery of services to people living in remote communities.
18/05/2009 $52 million for children and parenting services
The Australian Government will provide over $52 million to 139 family services providers as they transition to a new, more flexible service delivery model.
18/05/2009 Additional support for Victoria's bushfire affected communities
The Australian Government will provide a further $1.5 million to support communities affected by the Victorian bushfires.
15/05/2009 Progress on reformed CDEP
The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) has identified the preferred providers to deliver the reformed Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) program for 2009-2012 in remote areas.
15/05/2009 Walk Safely to School Day 2009
The Australian Government is again supporting Walk Safely to School Day, providing $50,000 for this national event which promotes the value of physical activity and good nutrition for school aged children.
14/05/2009 $600 Carer Supplement legislation passed
Around 500,000 carers across Australia will receive a new, permanent Carer Supplement of $600 a year following the passage in Parliament today of the Social Security and Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (2009 Budget Measures) Bill 2009.
12/05/2009 Secure and Sustainable Pension Reform: Age Pension Age
As part of the Government's Secure and Sustainable Pension Reform, in 2017 the qualifying age for the Age Pension will gradually increase from 65 to 67 by 2023.
12/05/2009 Secure and Sustainable Pension Reform: Simpler and more flexible pension system
Pension payments will be simpler, fairer and more flexible under the Australian Government's Secure and Sustainable Pension Reforms.
12/05/2009 Secure and Sustainable Pension Reform: A pension that keeps up with the cost of living
New indexation arrangements will better reflect cost of living increases for pensioners as part of the Government's Secure and Sustainable Pension Reform.
12/05/2009 Secure and Sustainable Pension Reform: Better targeting of the pension
The Australian Government's Secure and Sustainable Pensions Reform include measures to better target the largest pension payments to those who most need support.
12/05/2009 Secure and Sustainable Pension Reform: Three million Australian pensioners benefit from reforms
Australia's single pensioners will receive increases of up to $32.49 a week as part of the Australian Government's Secure and Sustainable Pension Reforms.
12/05/2009 Social security agreements with the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic and Latvia
As part of the 2009-10 Budget, the Rudd Government has finalised negotiations with the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic and Latvia to introduce social security agreements.
12/05/2009 $1.3 billion towards closing the gap
The Australian Government has committed $1.3 billion to continue driving its national reform agenda to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
12/05/2009 Assistance for Self-Funded Retirees
The Australian Government recognises the impact of the global recession on the incomes of self-funded retirees and is providing extra assistance in the 2009-10 Budget.
12/05/2009 Secure and Sustainable Pension Reform: New 'work bonus' for Age Pensioners
Age and service pensioners will be able to keep more of the money they earn through part time work under the Australian Government's Secure and Sustainable Pension Reform.
12/05/2009 Rudd Government delivers Paid Parental Leave
The Rudd Government has made an historic decision to commit $731 million over five years to Australia's first comprehensive, statutory, Paid Parental Leave scheme.
12/05/2009 Secure and Sustainable Pension Reform: New payment for 500,000 carers across Australia
Around 500,000 carers across Australia will receive a new, permanent, Carer Supplement to help them meet the significant financial challenges they face, as part of the Government's Secure and Sustainable Pension Reform.
12/05/2009 Pension reform: impact on aged care and public housing
The Australian Government is taking steps to provide certainty to pensioners who live in aged care facilities and public housing who are concerned about the impact of the pension rise on their rent.
12/05/2009 A national approach to protecting children at risk
The Rudd Government is providing $63.0 million over four years to help protect Australia's vulnerable children from child abuse and neglect under the National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children.
12/05/2009 Re-setting the Relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
The Australian Government will invest $148.9 million in a range of new measures to help re-set the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
12/05/2009 Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory
The Rudd Government is strengthening measures to enhance community safety, tackle child abuse and rebuild communities in the Northern Territory, committing $807.4 million to help close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
12/05/2009 $10 million to expand the Sporting Chance Program
The Rudd Government will invest a further $10 million over four years to support the expansion of the Sporting Chance Program to improve the education, life skills and employment prospects of some 1400 Indigenous students across Australia.
12/05/2009 Extra support for people with disability and their carers
The Rudd Government is strengthening its commitment to people with disability and carers by providing extra support through a range of initiatives in the 2009-10 Budget.
12/05/2009 Simpler rules for separated families
Rules about the care of children of separated parents will be made simpler and more consistent following changes made in the 2009-10 Budget.
12/05/2009 Reform of family payments
The Rudd Government will take important steps to reform family payments to make them more sustainable for the long-term.
12/05/2009 Boost for emergency relief and money management projects
To help vulnerable Australians during the global recession, the Rudd Government will provide an additional $130.4 million to double funding for Emergency Relief and expand innovative Money Management Projects to help low income earners.
12/05/2009 Secure and Sustainable Pension Reform: Increased payments and better assessment for disability pensioners
Around 720,000 Australians receiving the Disability Support Pension will receive pension increases as part of the Government's Secure and Sustainable Pensions Reforms.
12/05/2009 Release of Pension Review Report and Retirement Incomes Report
The Rudd Government will provide almost $10 million over four years to increase funding for Indigenous art centres and organisations, and support Indigenous employment.
12/05/2009 Additional $50 million for Native Title System
The Rudd Government will provide additional funding to support the native title system so that it can help close the gap between Indigenous and non Indigenous Australians.
12/05/2009 Supporting Australians affected by disaster
The 2009-10 Budget details the level of financial support provided to Australians affected by the devastating Victorian bushfires, the North Queensland floods, the South East Queensland storms, and the Mumbai terrorist attacks.
12/05/2009 Over $200 million for closing the gap in Indigenous health
The Rudd Government is investing a further $204.3 million in the 2009-10 Budget to improve health care in Indigenous communities and help close the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
12/05/2009 $10.3 million boost for volunteering
Fifty Volunteer Resource Centres around Australia will benefit from $10.3 million in Australian Government funding to support a skilled, well-trained and well-resourced volunteer workforce.
12/05/2009 Strengthening Australia's Indigenous visual arts sector
The Rudd Government will provide almost $10 million over four years to increase funding for Indigenous art centres and organisations, and support Indigenous employment.
11/05/2009 $4.4 million for parenting website
The Raising Children website will be expanded to include parenting information on pre-teen and teenage years with the help of a $4.4 million Australian Government grant.
10/05/2009 Rudd Government to Introduce Paid Parental Leave
The Rudd Government will deliver an historic Paid Parental Leave (PPL) scheme to support Australian families and prepare Australia for the economic and social challenges of the future.
08/05/2009 Removal of Asbestos at Areyonga
Asbestos removalists, McMahon Services, this week began work on removing asbestos containing debris in the remote community of Areyonga in the Northern Territory.
08/05/2009 Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan supporting construction jobs in Western Australia
The Australian and Western Australian Governments today announced that construction is underway on the repairs and maintenance component of the Rudd Government's Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan for an extra 20,000 social houses.
07/05/2009 $90,000 for Youth Insearch
Counselling and support services for vulnerable youth will be boosted in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria with a $90,000 Australian Government grant to Youth Insearch.
05/05/2009 Same-sex reform education campaign
The Australian Government will provide $450,000 for a community education campaign to inform same-sex couples about implications of recent reforms to legislation, which enable same-sex couples and their children to be recognised by Commonwealth law.
02/05/2009 $125 million Alice Springs Transformation Plan
The Australian and Northern Territory Governments have written to Tangentyere Council with a significantly expanded offer of more than $125 million for housing, infrastructure and services for Alice Springs.